Hearing occurs in two ways: air conduction and bone conduction. Bone conduction delivery of sound occurs when the sound vibration is transmitted to the inner ear through the bones of the skeletal framework. This process stimulates the vestibular/cochlear and somatosensory systems as well as the central nervous system. Stimulating these physiological systems with the low frequencies carried by bone conduction tends to have a relaxing, stabilizing effect; it influences the ability for spatial equilibrium and balance, as well as the ability to modulate sensory input and to process information.
In addition to providing the sense of hearing, the vestibular system is the primary organ of equilibrium and plays a major role in the sensation of motion and spatial orientation; it also provides input to the nervous system, adjusting muscle activity, body posture and stabilizes the eyes during head movements. It is known that vestibular stimulation through air and bone conducted sound can enhance neurological development, and can be used in the treatment of autism, Asperger's, sensory processing disorder, and ADHD. It is widely recognized that the early detection of autism in children is fundamental to effective treatment. However, with very young children, because of the prior art device configurations, effective vestibular stimulation through sound is difficult.
Vestibular stimulation therapy of the prior art has consisted of the delivery of sound through headphones and the delivery of sound through headphones in conjunction with bone conduction delivery through a device attached to the headphones or the person's head. Although effective, the use of the headphones and bone conduction devices attached to a persons head may be uncomfortable and impractical in certain settings. Clearly with infants and small children such headphones and bone conduction devices are not practical; and in any application, such headphones and bone conduction devices can become unintentionally displaced, and therefore ineffective, through the movement of the individual. Further, such headphones and bone conduction devices cannot be applied to provide vestibular stimulation to a fetus in-utero.
Therefore, in light of the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art devices, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that may be utilized with young children and infants including pre-mature infants.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems of a fetus in utero.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular systems in individuals who receive little or no intrinsic vestibular stimulation as a result of their own limited or lack of movement.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that remains effective even when the position of the transducer is displaced by the motion of the individual.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that does not require head phones or attachment to the individuals head.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that may be comfortably worn and provides stimulation during periods of physical activity and inactivity, including sleep.